Raven
by FlamingWolf
Summary: Amon is assigned to watch a teenage girl at school. Who is she, and what does she know about him? AU


Amon strode into the office, his trench coat billowing around him with each step. Zaizen looked up and pushed a file across the desk, which Amon tucked under an arm.

"Your next assignment. She seems to have great skill as a huntress. I want you to keep an eye on her." Zaizen explained. His subordinate nodded and left, returning to the unit-seven office downstairs. He dropped into a chair, already reading, and seeming to not notice Kate and Karasuma as he did so. Their newest member, a fifteen year old hacker named Michael, glanced up.

"New Hunt?"

Almost imperceptibly, Amon shook his head as he continued to read. His 'assignment' seemed to be an older teen female who attended a local high school under the unlikely name of 'Maho Raven'. Amon blinked at the odd contrast of Japanese and English, before reading on.

She seemed to be an exceptional martial artist, with some skill with computers. Recently, she had begun to be seen at places where witches were found dead. She showed some signs of personal danger sense and a precognition. Amon was to watch her, then bring her to the Inquisitor if she seemed to be a likely candidate.

He leaned back in the chair and picked up her picture. She was a pretty girl, but nothing extraordinarily good looking. Her black hair was caught back in a dancer's bun, and even in a picture, he eyes were alight with life, humor, and intelligence. She had a slight, muscular build, and looked every inch the healthy, competent young girl.

"What are we up to this time?" Kate asked, leaning lightly on Amon's shoulder.

"Solo assignment," He answered shortly, handing the file to Michael, while absent-mindedly still browsing the picture for more clues about the girl. Michael stood and came to look over his shoulder. He gave a low whistle and murmured,

"Now that's a good looking woman!" The American glanced at Amon. "So how long?"

"She's the female you're supposed to be researching." Amon answered pointedly.

"Uh, yeah. Sorry, man. Will do, right away!" Michael said hastily. Amon went back to his computer, satisfied that the hacker had finally shut up. Inwardly, though, he groaned. Sure, this Maho was pretty, but why follow around a hunter-wannabe kid? He muttered more quietly than usual about the indignity of the situation.

&

Amon sat in his car, eyes scanning the situation. He noticed a young water-seed sitting on one of the benches in front of the school, restlessly rumpling his blondish-brown hair as he looked down the street. A well-dressed, pretty blonde approached him.

"Hey, Sakaki!" What's been happening? Doesn't this schedule stink? It's criminal to get up this early for school!" She pouted adorably.

"Hello, Doujima." Sakaki answered with a certain amount of resignation. The girl dropped onto the bench beside him, talking unceasingly, while the boy made vague replies.

"Oh look! There's Maho!" Doujima said abruptly. Anyway, did you hear the rumors that some guy..."

Both Amon and Sakaki had already tuned her out. Sakaki jumped up onto the bench and waved. Amon followed his gaze to the girl in black coming up the street, reading as she walked. She glanced up and lifted a hand, slipping the book under an arm. She stepped out of the shade, and her hair lit up with bluish highlights.

'Her picture really doesn't do her justice.' Amon found himself thinking, and inwardly yelled at himself. 'She's an assignment. Keep your focus on the job.'

&

Maho slipped off the sunglasses, reached in her pocket, and handed Sakaki a comb. He grinned sheepishly.

"New schedules yet?" She asked.

"Of course, and three more besides, knowing this school. On the plus side, we are officially the deities of the school. All bow to the mighty seniors!" Sakaki joked. Maho reached up and pushed him off of the bench. He laughed. "I guarded your throne for you, all-powerful Amazon queen. Don't I get some sort of recognition for my valiant efforts?"

Maho bowed mockingly, sat, and began to laugh in her own turn. "We may be seniors, but we still act like freshmen!"

Dojima took Maho's arm. "I was telling Sakaki, I heard two teachers talking, and there's some sort of agent following one of the students around. Isn't that wild?"

Maho stiffened, he eyes scanning the school grounds and parking lot. She paused at the black Audi, her eyes slipping out of focus...

The wind whipped around him harder and harder as his temper grew. The breeze pushed at her, trying to force her to obey as the dark individual yelled for her to run... 

"Wind craft?" She whispered, shaken by her vision.

"Huh?" Dojima asked. "One of your bouts of foresight?"

"Yeah..." Maho trembled slightly with the power of this latest "seeing".

"Ah, man! First day of school? This is not good!" Sakaki groaned. The doors opened and students began filing into the building. Sakaki steadied the young psyonic and the three friends walked into the school building, complaining the entire way.

&

Amon stared after the three potential craft users in shock. The only three craft users/Seed in the entire school were friends, and at least one of them was active. He had recognized the precognition craft from Maho as she had looked at him and a tiny whisper of empathy from this 'Dojima' as she had helped to steady her friend. Whether she was actively controlling her power, he didn't know.

A moment later he slipped from the car and followed them in.

&

Maho sat bored on the bleachers, listening to Naoko drone on. She had heard all of the horror stories regarding him and the seventeen broken bones in his classes second semester of last year. At the moment, the Neo-Nazi was just tedious.

She glanced up, her eyes moving to the gym door. The dark man of her vision leaned casually against the wall across from the door. She took a moment to study him and pursed her lips in a silent whistle. He was tall, dark, and handsome in the traditional, stereotypical manner. She idly wondered who in her class he was watching.

Mr. Takeuchi entered the room, glanced around, and motioned to her. With foreboding, she climbed down the bleachers.

"Have your permit, yet?" He asked.

"Yes, sir."

"Meet me this period in front of the library." He ordered and left Maho to groan inwardly and wonder where she was going to get a car...

&

Amon wondered why the girl made such a face and glanced at his watch. He doubted she was going to use her craft in school, but he had been ordered to watch her. He sighed, noting that the bell would ring in about five minutes and headed for room AG208.

Rumiko looked up as Amon came through the door. "Amon? What are you doing back here?" He asked quietly, keeping an eye on the working students.

"I wanted to attend Algebra II again. I thought you were retiring at the end of my senior year...two years ago now."

"I swear, this year is it! I leave next year. Period. So you're the agent, huh? You certainly don't take your time. Who is it?"

"A certain Miss Raven."

"Maho? I had her last year, too. Intelligent, good student- when she wasn't trying to bait me. She's really a lot like you were. She was a sophomore your senior year."

"I never saw or heard of her and the way this school gossips..."Amon commented musingly. At that moment, the bell rang and the students ran for the door. Amon dropped into Rumiko's chair. A few minutes later, Maho and Doujima entered talking and chose seats towards the front of the room.

"Poor Mr. Rumiko!" Maho called laughingly. "Twice cursed! You're stuck with me again this year!"

The teacher grumbled in seeming annoyance, but Amon could see that he was pleased to see the young student. Doujima lightly tugged a strand of Maho's hair.

"So what were you saying about Takeuchi?"

"Oh, he wants me to take behind the wheel. I'm just trying to figure out where the hell I'm going to get a car..."

"Take mine! Daddy wants me to get a new one anyway!"

"Doujima, I can't..." The bell cut her off, and Maho promptly shut up. She sat and listened, with an occasional teasing jab aimed at the teacher ("If you're that loaded, you're good for a loan. I want food!"). Amon found that the girl had a deep intelligence. The first lesson was conductive reasoning. Maho glanced at the board and shot her hand into the air. She whipped through her homework and spent the rest of the period with her nose buried in a book of historical warrior queens from around the world. Amon wasn't surprised at her choice, but he was growing more and more impressed: she seemed to be more than an average, stupid, goof-off teenager.

&

Maho dropped into her assigned seat in the art room, ignoring the usual hisses of "dyke" from those she passed. She prepared for the normal first day lecture regarding classroom expectations, but her head shot up as she heard the door reopen and close again. The young sculpture teacher looked slightly intimidated by the tall, ominous male. Maho chewed her lower lip.

'I've seen him in all three classes now. Did the STN- Could he...no, I'm just turning paranoid.' She thought. All through the lesson, her eyes flickered to him and she was disconcerted to find that the tall, brooding agent seemed...to be watching her.


End file.
